Ecumenical Women 2000+ “is a coalition of denominations and ecumenical organizations at the United Nations who focus on the global intersection of religion and human rights with a gender perspective.” The coalition works with faith communities, the United Nations, and non-governmental and international organizations in order to raise the status of women and human rights. Its members include the United Nations Anglican Office; Church Women United; Episcopal Church USA, Women in Mission and Ministry; Lutheran Office for World Community; Presbyterian United Nations Office; United Church of Christ; and The United Methodist Office for the UN.

Description

With the aim of promoting dialogue between the UN and the faith communities it represents, EW2000+ participates in various annual meetings including the UN Commission on the Status of Women. The coalition trains women of faith from around the world on UN structure and lobbying techniques. The aim is to hold countries accountable to the commitments they made in the Platform for Action formed at the 1995 Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, China. EW2000+ members played a pivotal role in the preparatory meetings for Beijing +5, the five-year review of the 1995 meeting, by demanding specific language about religion in the outcome documents used to evaluate countries’ implementation of the Platform for Action.

Activities

EW2000+ members also participate in other UN meetings such as: the Convention to End All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, the 2001 World Conference Against Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Related Intolerance, and other sessions on development, children, and HIV/AIDS. The coalition also sponsors time for prayer, fellowship, training, and organizing during UN meetings.

Resources

The website provides a number of resources on religion and human rights, theology and ethics, and worship. In addition to EW2000+’s listserv that distributes information relevant to the coalition’s mission over email, the website itself is a forum for women to share what their faith communities are doing to advance the status of women and human rights. Urgent action items and resources are accessible on the home page, and links are available for advocacy packets on gender justice, women’s rights, children’s rights, and anti-racism. Visitors to the website are welcome to submit articles, reflections, and suggestions in order to improve and enhance the coalition’s efforts.

Partnerships

As an extension of its membership, EW2000+ has also been involved in other ecumenical efforts through its membership. For example, EW2000+ members were instrumental in the World Council of Churches Ecumenical Decade: Churches in Solidarity with Women from 1988-1998 that was inspired by the UN Decade for Women.